Improvement in potato digger



A. SNYDER Potato Digger.

Patented Jan. 29, 1867.

Quinn 1at25 strut @ffiiza- ALBERT SNYDER, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN. Zetters Patent No. 61,574, dated January 29, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO BIGGER.

a'llp fidphule rrfam in in flpsl itrtteni paint at making gratin flge same.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, ALBERT SNYDER, of Jackson, in the county of Jackson, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machine for Digging Potatoes and Gathering Stone; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being bad to the annexed drawings and letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification, in which E Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of my machine.

Figure 2 is a perspective representation of the double pronged fork.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the separator and dumper. v

The nature of my invention consists in the use of an inclined frame attached to the truck wagon, and having a double set of pulleys at the bottom, and a single set at the top, over which are arranged belts for carrying a series of double-pronged forks for the purpose of gathering small stone and digging potatoes and carrying them upward and into a dumper resting over the rear axle; and in providing a screen for separating the.

smaller potatoes from the larger ones, and placing it in a convenient position over the dumping box in order that the dirt carried by the forks over the upper pulleys may pass through that part of the screen projecting over the dumping box and fall to the ground.

A represents thev frame of the'trucks supported by the common axle and wheels at m; D shows one of the inclined standards rigidly attached to the frame A.- I use two of thesc standards, one on each side of the frame, forthe purpose of supporting the shoe B, drivepulley a, and the pulleys e, (fig. 1, as shown by dotted lines,) over which the belt F passes in the usual manner. The shoe B is rigidly attached to the lower end of the standards D for the purpose of supporting the lower pulleys 0. C represents the peculiar construction of the double-pronged fork used for digging the potatoes and gathering stone. It will be seen at fig. 2 that this fork has the lower tier of prongs 1 1 860., the side prongs 2 2, and the upper prongs 3 3 &'c. Prongs 1 pass under the potatoes and stone, and prongs 2 and 3 assist in holding the gathered material in place while being elevated, and. also sift the dirt from the potatoes when the position of the fork G is reversed, as when passing downward on the belt; 4: 4, &c., show theshanks of the prongsl 3, wh'ich also perform an important function by pressing against the rods 5 when force is applied to the prongs 1, thereby preventing the fork G from being doubled under when in operation. Rodfi isuscd to support the-prongs 5, which will regulate'the position of the fork 0 when passing downward upon the belt F. G shows the'dumping box, divided into two parts for receiving large and small potatoes. H is the screen frame, supporting three grades of screens. The one seen used substantially as set forth.

at k, fig. 3, is made fine enough to prevent potatoes from passing through, yet allow fine .dirt as it is separated from the potatoes to pass through and fall down. This part of the screen projects over the front of the dumper for this purpose. Screen is made to allow small potatoes to pass into the partition J, and the screen N admits the large potatoes to pass into partition I. In the drawing, )3 represents leather belts, but I prefer chain-link belts as more durable and furnishing better support for the loops 7 which hold the rods 6 5, and the loop 8 which holds the pivots 9 of the fork C. Only two'forks C are shown in the drawing, but I intend to use such a number upon the belts F as will operate continuously upon the ground.

Operation.

X shows the front of the truck to which the power is applied. The band E must be puton the pulleys dz, and the machine put in motion in the usual manner; after which the forks G will dig the potatoes and deposit them in the dumper G. When gathering stone the screen frame H may be removed; otherwise the machine can be operated in the same manner as when digging potatoes.

Having thus fully described my device, what Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 'ofthe United States, is

1. The doublc-pronged fork 0, when constructed substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the fork C, rods 5 6, projecting screen K, gearing 0 o d 2, when constructed and ALBERT SNYDER;

Witnesses:

GEO. L. OHAPIN, A. HAYWARD. 

